Animal-trap.



R. P. ESTRADA.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

INVENTOR w m r W m 2 a YHE NORRIS PETERS C0,. PHOTO'LITHD WASHINCIIUN. 1),!

RAMIO'N PESQUEIRA ES'IRADA, 0F MAGDALENA, MEXICO.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

Specificationof Letterslatent.

PatentedNov. 24, 1914.

Application filed April 1, 1914.. semi No. 828,689.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAMONP. EsTRAna,

a citizen of Mexico, and a resident of Magdalena, Sonora, Mexico, have invented a new and ImprovedAnimal-Trap, of which i the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to fishing and trapping, and has particular reference to traps for animals.

" Amongthe objects of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated which is of an exceedingly simple construction, being made principally of sheet metal of uniform thickness stamped and bent into the form desired- Another object of theinvention is to pro- I the device.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will hereinafter be more fully de scribed and claimed and illustrated in the drawings forming a part of this specification in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figurel is a perspective view showing the trap in one set position; Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same, but indicating a different adjustment of the trigger mechanism; and Fig. 3 is a vertical face view of the trigger.

The several parts of the device may be made of any suitable materials, and the relative sizes and proportions, as well as the general design of the mechanism, may be varied to a considerable extent without departing from the spirit of the invention hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

As shown in the drawings, the trap comprises but two principal parts, namely, a yoke 10 including jaws 11, and a trigger member 12.. The trap thus constituted may obviously be secured in definite position by means of a chain 13 secured to the yoke by means of a clip or the like 14: to prevent loss of the trap.

The yoke member 10 is made up preferably of spring plate material bent so that the two shank portionslii thereof tend to lie substantially parallel to each other and close together, but they are adapted to be spread apart under force, as shown in Figs. 1 and To the outer or free end. of each of the shanks 15 is rigidly secured a jaw 11.. Each jaw preferably includes a series of teeth 16, the teeth of one jaw extending toward those of the other, but the jaws are so related that one is adapted to overlap the other, as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 2. It is obvious that the jaw members 11 with their teeth 16 may be made integral with the yoke member of the same sheet metal by a simpleoperation, but in some cases it may be preferable to form them of separable pieces and secure them to the free ends of the shanks 15 by rivets 17 or the like. The other main part 12 of the trap consti-: tutes a trigger device and comprises a substantially flat plate portion 18 and a pair of wing portions 19, all formed preferably of one piece of sheet metal of uniform thicknose. The outer ends of the wings terminate inhooks 20 which extend beyond beveled shoulders 21 and the extreme ends are adapted to be turned at an angle to the main plane of the trigger member. The wings 19 at the shoulders 21 are preferably beveled as shown so as to facilitate the rotation of the trigger member either in springing or setting the trap and also to provide a more delicate locking effect between the shoulder 21 and the edges of the slots 22.

The hooks 20 project freely outwardly through slots 22 formed longitudinally along the lower edges of the shank members 15 and of such length as to allow considerable latitude of adjustment of the trigger member longitudinally of said shank mem bers so as to adapt the trap to animals of different sizes or natures. The shoulders 21 of the wingportions 19 are adapted to bear.

directly against the edges 22 of the slots 22, and whenthe shank members 15 are forced away from each other against the tension of the spring, said shankamembers and the loop portion of the yoke, and with the trigger member extending substantially at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the trap, the trigger member will constitute a strut holding the jaws apart, as shown in Fig. 1. Practically, in order to set the trap, it is turned upside down or into that position in which the plate portion 18 of the trigger will tend to gravitate downwardly, making the setting of the trap substantially automatic when the jaws are forced apart by the operators hands or otherwise.

When the trap is sprung, the fiat portions or the wings 19 of the trigger member lie within the slots 22 and prevent rotation of the trigger member in such slots, and since the main plate 18 is longer than the length of the slots there is no danger of accidental loss of the trigger from the yoke. The hooks 20 also prevent accidental separation of these two main parts.

As above premised, the trap may be sprung by movement of the trigger toward or away from the jaws causing the same to rotate toward the horizontal position around the transverse line connecting the hooks through the lower edge of the trigger member. The trigger plate member 18 may be se squarely at a right angle to the general plane of the yoke and in this position the trap is the hardest to spring; that is to say, it will require more force to push or pull the trigger around its axis of rotation due to the frictional engagement between the shoulders 21 and the edges 22 of the shanks. When, however, it is desired to set the trigger lightly or dehcately, it will be inclined as much as desired in thedirection in which it will be moved to spring the trap by the particular species of animals to be trapped and whereby less force will be required to overcome the friction between the engaging parts. VVhen the trap is set for burrowing animals, the trigger plate 18 will preferably be inclined away from the jaws whereby it will be in position to be pushed by the animal passing along its path between the jaws. For this purpose the trigger member may beset at or adjacent the ends of the slots '22 nearest to the jaws, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2. If, however, the trap is to be set for animals which, according to their nature, are inclined to pull the bait, any suitable bait may be attached to the upper portion of the plate 18 either by a hook 23 or by tying it in a hole 214tformed through such plate. In this event it is usually advisable to set the trigger member more remote from the jaws so that in either event the animal is caught by the jaws substantially around its neck and immediately suffocated by such jaws. For certain species of animals it will be necessary for the trap to be housed by some sort of cage structure so as to insure that the animal to be caught will enter the trap between the jaws Copies of this patent may be obtained for no frictional resistance to the desired rotation of the trigger. If the slots were otherwise formed there might result moreor less locking of the trigger when set against the ends of the slots. 1

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l.ln an animal trap, the combination of a yoke member including a pair of shanks and jaws at the ends of the shanks, each of the shank members being formed with a longitudinal slot parallel to the general axis of such shank, and a trigger member, said trigger member comprising a plate, a pair of wings extending laterally from the plate and through said slots, said wings being formed with shoulders coacting with the edges of the'slots to hold the trap in set position, substantially as set forth.

2. in an animal trap, the combination of a pair of jaws, means to cause the jaws to approach each other to seize the animal, and a trigger member 'adapte'dto hold the jaws forced apart when'the trap is set, said trigger member comprising a piece of metal having outwardly extending wings coiiperating with the jaw members, said wingsbeing provided with beveled shoulders forming interlocking means for the jaws, substantially as set'f-orth.

3. In a trapof the kind set forth, the combination of a yoke having two side shanks each having a slot extending parallel to the axis of the, shank, the ends of the slots being rounded, and a trigger member carried by the yoke and extending from one shank to theother through said slots, said trigger having beveled shoulders cooperating with the shanks to hold the yoke spread in set position, said trigger being adapted to be adjusted'at any points along said slots and being rotatable in either direction from set position to allow the trap to spring.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RAMON PESQUEIRA ESTRADA.

Witnesses:

JUAN H. AI'TZMENDEZ, P. B. TORRES.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents. Washington, D. 0. l i Y 

